Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1915
Margarine strike
At the Loughrea Board of Guardians, the following letter was received:
“Gentlemen – We, the inmates of the Workhouse, most humbly ask you to give us a bit of butter or an egg instead of the margarine. We have never used a bit of it, and are eating our bread dry.
“Poor Miss Raftery used to put her but of butter in the stirabout the matron gives her, and now she has to eat it dry, and she is weak on her feat.
“Hoping your honours will grant us a bit of butter. We remain, your humble servants.”
Chairman: There is a general strike against margarine.
Mr. O’Loughlin: We have nothing to do with it. We will refer it to the medical officer. It was on his recommendation we adopted it.
Chairman: It was a cruel thing to do. Would there be any use in giving notice to have the order rescinded
Mr. O’Loughlin: I would not like to rescind an order made only a few weeks ago.
Mr. O’Dea, we had no right to let them know they were to get the margarine. He [the doctor] would be a good judge who could tell whether it was butter or margarine.
1940
Army desertion
When three young men from Carraroe district appeared at Spiddal Court before District Justice Mac Giollarnath, charged with desertion from the army, one of them stated that he had go two day’s leave in order to get married and merely overstayed the time allowed. He was quite willing to go back now.
The Justice said that he could make no order in the case of another of the men, because the Army officer who gave evidence failed to identify him as the truant soldier and the Garda who arrested him could not state that he was a deserter.
The man himself remained silent throughout the proceedings and when all was over, he told the Justice that he was willing to return to the Army.
All three “re-volunteered” in Court and returned to barracks.
School burns down
Aillebrack national School, Ballyconneely, was burned to the ground in the ewaly hours of Tuesday morning. The Clifden Gardaí were called to the scene shortly after the outbreak had been discovered at 3a.m., but the flames had buy then firmly gripped the building and the police were unable to cope with the fire. The origin of the fire is as yet unknown, but the guards are pursuing inquiries.
All-star Game
Leinster 11 Connacht 11
A shrill whistle – free to Leinster. A hush fell upon the crowd as Carry, the captain, carefully placed the ball. Then, with a mighty kick, he sent the ball sailing between the posts for those all-important three points which levelled the scores and saved his side from suffering their first defeat at the hands of the Connachtmen.
This was the dramatic and – for the small band of western supporters who made the long trek to the marble City – most disappointing ending to the Interprovincial game at St. James’s Park, Kilkenny, on Saturday, which resulted in a draw of two goals (one penalty) and a try, to three goals (two penalties).
The points were evenly divided by the honours were not, for Connacht – who played with only fourteen men for three-quarters of the game – had the better of the fast and furious exchanges all through.
If ever the Westerners deserved victory, it was on this occasion, but Lady Luck thought otherwise and a penalty goal secured by Leinster in the last few minutes, from a free which should never have been awarded, cheated them of a chance of making rugby history by defeating their opponents for the first time.
Connacht: Full-back: C. Mahoney (Corinthians); Three-quarters: S. Gill (UCG), T. Lenihan (do.), C. Finan (Galwegians), W. Callinan (Loughrea); Half-backs: G. Mahoney (Corinthians and Dolphin) and F. Flattery (Corinthians); Forwards: R. Grealish (Galwegians), A.J. Roche (do.), B. Donohue (Loughrea), J. Joyce (Galwegians), D. Ryan (Loughrea). J. Owens (Corinthians), D.B. O’Malley (UCG) and P.J. Horan (do.).
1921
Bad buying policy
It is interesting and useful to speculate how far the conditions that prevailed at Galway great annual fair on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week were due to its postponement on the one hand, and to the circumstances of our time on the other.
No doubt, the enforced adjournment and the uncertainty as to when the fair would be held combined to reduce the attendance.
It is possible that stock which, in the ordinary course, would have been taken to the fair had it been held at the appointed time, were disposed of by other means. Against this we have the fact that the fixture in point of attendance and sales was smaller than a normal monthly fair.
The truth is that cumulative causes contributed to its partial failure. Of these the postponement was only incidental. Only 159 wagon loads of stock left Galway during the two days against 259 at the annual fair last year and 360 the previous year.
Whilst the Midland Great Western Railway Company did all that could have been expected in the circumstances to assist in making the fair a success, the Great Southern did practically nothing at all. Six wagons were placed at the disposal of purchasers by the latter company on the Limerick-Sligo branch.
This is illustrated by the fact that most of those who attended Galway fair arrived on the evening before; few ventured to make the journey on the actual morning of the fair. Again, buyers report that owing to the difficulties of transport, and the recent unnecessary foot and mouth scare, they cannot tranship cattle to anything like the same extent as formerly, and owning to the prolonged drought, there is a shortage of grass for grazing in the rich midland counties where extensive buyers keep their stock from one fair to the other.
Apart from these causes, another much more interesting explanation is given. It is suggested is that the country farmer has not yet realised that there is a considerable drop in prices, and has not adapted himself to the new conditions.
This fall, it is clamed, is likely to be retrogressive under present conditions. The cost of living is falling, and must fall still further in order to restore “the economic balance”. Yet farmers prefer to hold back their stock in expectation, apparently, that something like old prices will be restored, rather than part with them. This, a cattle-buying expert informs us, is bad policy.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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1921
Careless farmers
The unfavourable spring and summer of 19230 were not altogether accountable for the partial failure of last season’s potato crop. Planting was deferred until three or four weeks after the usual time, and the spraying of the crop was very carelessly carried out.
Not more than half the usual quantities of spraying materials were sold last year in County Galway. The wagon loads of potatoes which County Galway consumers were obliged to get from other parts of Ireland to go to prove the care and attention taken from growers in other counties.
To meet the increased cost of labour and manures farmers must grow heavier crops, and avoid risks as far as possible. To do so, spraying must be carried out efficiently.
County Galway, with 24,000 Irish acres of potatoes, is the second county in Ireland in respect of area. The total yield in 1920 was about 100,000 tons below that of an average year, which was a serious loss to the farmers and a hardship on the townspeople.
We hope that the lesson of 1920 will not be forgotten, and that farmers will this year spray in time and thoroughly.
One of the farmer’s chief difficulties is keeping of his crops free from weeds. Unfortunately in this important matter some of our farmers are rather careless. They do not realises – probably through lack of education in the matter – that where a crop is allowed to get weedy, the material resources of the land are being doubly taxed, and the crop which it is intended to grow cannot be a viable, much less a financial success.
The farmer has no power over some of the circumstances which determine the success or failure of a crop, and it is, therefore, a short-sighted policy for him not to use every means in his power to check weeds over which he has complete control.
Our attention has been directed to this matter by the number of cornfields in some districts, which are covered with the weed well-known to farmers as “Baráiste”.
We cannot estimate the extent of the damage caused year after year to our corn crops, but it must be very considerable. The yield of gran is greatly reduced, and the quality seriously impaired.
Modern science has given us a simple, effective, remedy involving little labour. This remedy has been used successfully for some years past by the best of our farmers, but we deeply regret the lack of enthusiasm displayed by many of our tillers in connection with the destruction of this objectionable weed.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
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Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
1921
Village halls
Young men and women of the present day expect and obtain more time for recreation than their parents. The monotony of young lives in the country districts leads to a desire to leave comfortable homes for the towns, or to emigrate.
In this work of reconstruction, which we hope will not long be delayed every means by which the young people can be induced to remain on the land must be considered.
Village halls can be made to play an important part in this respect by providing facilities for recreation and enabling those with progressive tendencies to continue with their reading and education after leaving the national schools.
To encourage a taste for reading and the acquirement of useful knowledge, every hall should be provided with a small library containing a selection of suitable books. The erection and equipment of such halls should not be left to voluntary effort, but should be looked upon as a national duty for which public money ought to be provided, and for which the country would be repaid in an enlightened, industrious and efficient rural population.
Custom House attacked
A large force of armed men raided the Custom House, Dublin, at one point on Wednesday, held up the staff and set fire to the building, which was completely destroyed. Yesterday morning the flames could be seen issuing from the surrounds.
The many Government departments in the building included the offices of the Local Government Board, Customs and Excise, Inland Revenue, the Old Age Pensions, and their valuable documents have been reduced to ashes.
From the housetops and the streets of Dublin on Wednesday afternoon, thousands witnessed the aftermath of one of the most serious assaults made by the I.R.A. upon the institutions of the Crown – the burning of the famous Custom House.
Following the burning, nearly a score were killed or wounded in a battle between the I.R.A. and R.I.C. Auxiliaries of the F and Q Companies.
The building was so badly devastated that to-day only the walls and a portion of the Local Government Board Office are still standing.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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